Tanzania National Parks and Game Reserves

Tanzania National Parks
and Game Reserves Map

Tanzania can truly claim to be the home of "Safari" since the word is Kiswahili for "journey" and there's no better place to enjoy the enriching wildlife experience than Tanzania.

The game viewing experiences are widely regarded as the best in Africa. It's the place to see seemingly endless herds of wildebeest and zebras trekking across the plains on their annual migration, followed by the predators; lion, cheetah and hyena.

There are 3 main safari regions in Tanzania:

The popular Northern Circuit which includes Lake Manyara, Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and it's neighbour the Serengeti National Park all teaming with wildlife. A safari in the northern circuit will also give you the opportunity to visit the Olduvai Gorge known as "The Cradle of Mankind", where remains of one of the earliest humans were discovered.

The Southern Circuit parks are less visited and more remote but equally appealing for a safari, especially if you prefer to get away from the tourist crowds. The parks include Ruaha National Park, Saadani National Park, Selous Game Reserve, Mikumi National Park and Udzungwa Mountains National Park.

The Western Circuits most popular parks are Gombe Stream National Park, Mahale Mountains National Park and Katavi National Park

Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa and also lays claims to the highest free standing mountain the the world. Many people combine climbing Kilimanjaro with a safari and/or beach holiday

The country boast hundreds of miles of palm-fringed, white sandy beaches; relaxed and friendly cities and the exotic islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia.

Tanzania has something to offer for everyone, whether it be wildlife viewing, adventure, African culture or simply relaxing on the beach

The dry season from June to November is said to be the best time to visit any of the national parks in Northern and Southern Tanzania. This is when wildlife viewing is at a premium as the animals gather round the waterholes and rivers. This is also when there are the most tourists, so expect it to be very busy and be aware that lodge accommodation gets booked up well in advance

If you want to witness the Annual Wildebeest Migration on a safari in Serengeti and Ngorongoro the best time to catch it in south-eastern Serengeti is from Jan to April when the wildebeest and zebra have their young. This is also a good time to see the predators; lion, cheetah, leopard and hunting dogs

The raining season is generally from March to May in the North and from November to May in the South And West, during this time the roads deteriorate and some become impassable. Selous and Ruaha National Parks are usually closed during March and April. With the abundance of water and the sheer size of Tanzania's parks, the animals are more spread out, this means longer distance of travel to view the wildlife.